June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
EAST TEXAS – As June unfolds as Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, health advocates are calling attention to the insidious rise of Alzheimer’s disease, especially in states like Texas that face a high burden.
An estimated 7.2 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2025, up from 6.7 million in 2023. That number is projected to nearly double to 13 million by 2050. The disease affects roughly one in nine seniors and is more common in women and communities of color.
In Texas, approximately 459,300 residents aged 65 and over are living with Alzheimer’s — about 11.9% of the older population — placing the state third nationally in total cases. Texas ranks second in Alzheimer’s-related deaths, with more than 10,400 fatalities recorded in 2022. Unpaid family caregivers in Texas number roughly 1.09 million, providing some 1.9 billion hours of care valued at $33.1 billion annually.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disorder that begins with mild memory loss and advances to severe cognitive decline. As patients lose short-term recall, families often witness mood swings, confusion and challenges in daily tasks such as dressing or bathing. In middle stages, individuals may struggle to recognize loved ones, wander, or exhibit aggressive behaviors, placing an emotional and logistical toll on caregivers.
For example, one local resident described caring for her mother, who began forgetting common words and once left the stove on. “It became clear overnight how much help she needed,” she said. She now spends most of her weekends driving her mother to appointments, balancing that with her full-time job — an increasingly familiar story for many Texas families.
Family caregivers often sacrifice career opportunities or vacation time and dedicate upwards of 47 hours a week to care — averaging $77,500 per year in combined costs. Moreover, caregivers face elevated risks of depression, anxiety and declining physical health due to the emotional strain.
Health experts emphasize early diagnosis can significantly improve patient outcomes. Early detection allows access to treatments that may slow disease progression, more effective future planning, participation in clinical trials, and better coordination with support services.
Alzheimer’s Association data shows only about half of people with Alzheimer’s ever receive a diagnosis, underscoring the need for greater awareness and proactive screenings. In Laredo, local health officials are offering free early-stage screenings, educational programs and caregiver support groups, noting that community outreach helps drive conversations that might otherwise never begin.
Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, founded in 2014, encourages people to “go purple” in solidarity, share personal stories with #ENDALZ and support community events like fundraisers and brain health days.
While there is no cure, recent research and medical trials offer hope. Advances in blood-based diagnostics, retinal scans under development in Texas, and emerging treatments have raised optimism. The Texas Legislature is also weighing a proposal to establish a $3 billion Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, modeled after the state’s successful cancer research fund.
As June draws to a close, families across Texas and the nation are urged to pay attention to memory changes, seek medical advice if concerns arise, and access available resources. Early awareness and intervention remain key tools in supporting patients, caregivers and communities.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
